Potato-digger



j 2 sheets-#sheen 1.y O.- OEHRLEIN. BoTAToA BIGGER.

(No ModeL) No. 589,020. Patented A1`1 g.31, 1897.

hai anus mans cui pno'rounov. wnsnmcron. n. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

C. OBHRLEIN.

PoTATo BIGGER.V

Patentedy Aug. 31, v1897.

' of the machine complete.

1 QA SPAR v(HEHRLEIN, OF

PoTATo- Prien.

PATENT ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,020, dated August 31, 1897.

I Application 'filed June 27, 1896. Serial No, 597,247. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GASPAR OEHRLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Paul, in thecounty of Ramsey and State of lvlinnesorf-l have made certain new and useful I1nprm1'---ine nts in Potato-Diggers, of which the' following is a specification.

This invention relates lto potato-diggers; and it consists in the construction,fco1nbina tion, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, and Specifically pointed out in the claims. A l

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation with one of the main bearing-wheels removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 is .a plan view, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, vof

the head-plate and portions of the'riddle-.

lingers, illustrating the .manner` of forming them and securing them adj ustablyin place. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of o ne of-tbe riddie-lin gers detached; Fig. 6 is a sectional dctail of a portion of the main arch-frame and a portion of-one of theploW-beams, illustrating the manner of adjusting the same. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the beam-adjusting stop-plate-"`etached.- Fig.- 8 is a detached detail of the clamp for connecting the riddleagitating pin-ring to the spokes ot' the traction-wheel. Fig. 9 is an' enlarged sectional detail illustrating the manner of pivoting the vine-clearing :rolleii Figf10 isa plan view g Fig. 11 is a plan view of the moldboardV of the plow detached, and Fig. 12 is a side view of the Same. Fig. 13 is a side View, andFig. 14 is a plan view, of the wear or nose plate of the mold'- board detached. Fig; 15 is a rear view of the moldboard; and Fig. 16 is a sectional side elevation of a portion of the moldboard and the stationary fingers, illustrating the manner of connecting them to the moldboard. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of one of the stationary fingers detached. Figgll@ is a detached detail of a portion of Y.dle-ac 11pati-ng bar and a'portionof the pin-ring, illustrating the construction more fully.

A' represents the main axle, upon the ends of which the bearing-wheels A2 A3 are mounted, as shown.

A4 is the arch-frame, having a horizontal bar A5 journaled through its upright legs.

A(5 A7 are arms, each attached by one end to the ends of the bar A5 outside the legs of the arch-frame and embracingthe axle A by their other ends, as shown, so that the axle is free to move to a limited extent about the bar A5 as a center.

ASA9 are two brackets attached by'bolts a o2 to the top of the arch-frame A4 and having screws A10 A41 tapped through their outer ends and resting by their lower ends upon the ends of the arms A6 A7 above the'aXle A', so that the axle is limited in its upward movement by the Screws and may be adjusted higher or lower with relation to the archframe by turning the screws to the right or left, vthe latter having cranks o3 a4 on their upper ends to facilitate their turning.

The brackets A8 A are each free to turn about the bolts a a2 to enable the lowerends of the screws to be always kept above the center of the axle, and set-screws a5 a are arranged in' the brackets, as shown, to enable the brackets to be Set at any point desired and held fixed in that position.

B is the tongue, attached to vthe center of the arch-frame and suitably supported by 'side braces B2B3 from the legs of the archframe, the forward ends of the braces being connected to the tongue by bolts b '192.

The tongue B' isdivided between the bolts b b2, asshown at h3, so that the forward portion may be bent downward. The joint at this point is strengthened by a central plate h4.

D is the moldboard, which is of the hollow or` scoop pattern and is provided with two beams D2 D3, riveted by their lower ends at d cl2 to the moldboard and further secured by clamps d4 and Vcarried backward and outward, and then curved forward and pivotally connected at d5 cl to the legsof the arch-frame A4, so that the nose of the moldboard may be elevated or depressed by swinging the beams upon their pivots. I

The beam D3 is carried forward and up- W'ardin the form of va lever-arm and ends in a handle D4, by which the nioldboard may be actuated, a spring stop-barD5 being provided to support the handle in its forward or backward position, as desired, to hold the moldboard in its elevated or depressed position. The other beam D2 is carried forward and IOO thence over to the other beam D3, to which it is secured at d?, the two beams being thus securely connected together, so that one lever-arm will actuate the moldboard.

The limit of the downward movement of the beams D2 D3 is governed by plates e e2 attached to the legs of the arch-frame A4, preferably by the bolts which secure the braces B2 B3 tothe arch-frame, as shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7. The plates e' c2 are somewhat oblong and with the hole e3, by which they are secured not central to the plate, so that by turning the plate to present their different sides upward to the beams the latter will be held higher or lower, according as the distance varies between the center of the hole e3 and the edge of the plate next the beam. Thus by merely removing the nut from the bolt which holds the plate, removing the plate, and turning it around and replacing it the limit of the downward movement ofthe beams may be regulated.

The moldboard is formed from a sheet of steel, with a straight rear edge L, double-angled, and front edge 7a2 h3, and then curved, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 15. Upon the forward point h4 is secured a nose or wear plate hi to receive the first pressure or wear, so that the main edges of the moldboard are protected. Vhen the nose is worn ont, it can be easily replaced and without throwing away the whole moldboard, which would result were there no suoli weanplate. Supported by its ends g g2 upon the beams D2 D3, close beneath the rear upper edge of the moldboard D, is a bar E', curved to conform to the moldboard, as shown in Fig. 15.

E2 are fingers attached by their ends t" to the rear of the bar E/ and projecting rearward and bent downward at i2, one of them being shown in Fig. 17 detached. The upper surfaces of the fingers come close beneath the bottom of the rear edge of the moldboard, which is eut away to a sharp edge at Z3, as shown in Fig. 16, so that smooth and even joints occur between the rear edge of the moldboard and the fingers where they pass beneath the moldboard to prevent any obstruction being formed at this point to retard the passage of the earth over the moldboard.

F F2 are two bars attached by their forward ends to the arch-frame A' and projecting backward and slightly downward at. an an gle, as shown.

F3 is a U-shaped frame pivoted by its legs at m' m2 to the side bars Fl F2 and with an arm F4 attached near one end at m3, as shown.

The forward member of the frame F3 is formed with a slot m4, as shown in Fig. 2, to enable riddle-fingers F5 to be secured thereto by bolts m5, as shown. These riddle-fingers are formedgas shown in Fig. 5, (which represents one of them detached,) with their fastened ends bent downward, thence off to one side, thence upward, and thence backward for a short distance parallel with the main body portion of the finger, as at m6, so that one bolt m5 will firmly secure each finger, the backwardly-proj ecting portion m preventing any lateral movement while at the same time permitting the fingers to be readily adjusted to any extent. By means of the slot m4 the fingers may be readily adjusted laterally to any extent. One or more of the fingers may be removed without interfering with any of the others, and the distance between them may be varied to any desired extent.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the frame F3 with a number of the riddle-fingers removed and with those upon one side without the holding-nuts to illustrate the construction more fully.

The rear ends of frame FB are connected by a bow-frame FU to properly support them.

The arm F4 is extended forward and with a roller FT journaled in its forward end, as shown, and adapted to be struck by pins n', projecting from a ring Gr on the wheel A3, the ring being connected to the spokes A12 of the wheel by clips n2. (Shown more clearly in Fig. S.) By this means when the wheel A:l is revolved as the machine is drawn forward the pins n' striking the roller FT force the arm F4 downward and tilt the frame F3 upon its pins m m2 and throw the rear ends of the fingers F5 upward, and then as the pin runs off from the roller the frame F3 and its fingers drop by gravity, and so on, the continued action of the pins upon the roller causing the fingers to be rapidly agitated to sift the earth from the potatoes as they pass over from the moldboard. The lingers E2 also aid in the separation of the potatoes from the earth.

A joint is formed in the arm F4 at n4, with a stop n, so that the arm will be rigidwhen moved downward by t-he pins striking the roller from above, but which will yield and bend upward if the motion of the wheel A3 is re versed and the pins n/ strike the roller from below in event of the machine being run backward. The construction of this joint is shown more clearly in Fig. 18.

H is the f arrow-opener, which is attached to a frame H2, pivoted to the tongue at t and extended into a lever-arm with a handle H, so that the f urrow-opener may be turned upward beneath the tongue when not in use or when not required. Pivoted by its ends in an upright position in the frame Hzs a roller or drum H4, preferably of wood, to catch the vines and weeds as they run up over the moldboard of the furrow-opener and turn them to one side, so that they do not gather in a mass and obstruct the main moldboard.

The frame ll2 is formed, as shown, with a bend in it to receive the drum H3 and with pins t if projecting down into the heads of lag-screws 4 t5, screwed into the centers of the ends of the drum, so that the drum wil-l freely turn on its pins. Attached across bcneath the braces, just in the rear of the frame H2, is a bar H5 to form a stop to the frame H2 to limit the backward movement of the furrow-opener and keep it down to its work.

ICC

IIO

' it may the downward movement The ends of the stop-bar H? are extended, as shown in Fig. l0, to form steps to enable the operator to mount to his seat J.

The pins n will be of steel, while the ring G will be of iron, and the pins will be secured in place by driving them through holes in the iron ring, the holes being of the samesize or slightlysmaller than the pins, the contraction of the iron holding the pins firmly in place Without further fastening.

. K is a basket or receptacle suspended from the upwardly-curving rear ends of the vbars F F2 and with its front edge projecting beneath the rear ends of the riddle-fingers, so as to receive the potatoes as they pass from the riddle-fingers. This receptacle is suspended from two points only, w"w2, so that be dumped when desired by a chain w3, leading to a point convenient to the driver. I

The bars F F2 will have stop-pins y to limit of the frame F3 and its attached riddle-fingers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isll. In a potato-digger, an arch-frame supporting the draft-tongue and with the bearing-wheels journaled to its depending ends, a concave moldboard having beams attached to its under side and curving upward and forward and pivotally connected to the depending portions of said arch-frame7 an irregular block attached to said arch-frame beneath each of said beam members, whereby by turning said blocks said beam members may be adjusted to alter the draft of said moldboard, substantially as set forth.

2. In a potato-digger, the combination of an v arch-frame, the aXle and bearing-wheels supported from said arch-frame, a concave moldboard, beams attached to the under side of said moldboard and curving backward and y upward and pivotally connected to said archframe, riddle-fingers connected to and projecting beyond the rear edge of said moldboard, side frames rigidly connected to the lower ends of said arch-frame and projecting backward beyond said moldboard, a U-frame pivoted by its bends to said side frames, a series of riddle-fingers connected to the transverse member of said U-frame, an arm extended from .said U-frame, and means whereby said arm may be actuated by the revolution of the bearing-wheels to vibrate said U- frame and its attached riddle-fingers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a potato-digger, a framework mounted on wheels,a concave moldboard having beams attached to its under side and curving upward and forward and pivotally connected to said framework, fingers connected to and projecting beyond the rear edge of said moldbard,side frames secured to said Wheel-frame and projecting backward therefrom, a U- frame pivotally connected to said side frames and having riddle-lingers connected by one' end thereto, means for agitating said riddlefingers as the machine is drawn forward, a receptacle pivotally suspended from the rear ends of said side frames and adapted to receive the potatoes passing over said riddlengers, and means for dumping said receptacle to discharge its load, substantially as set forth.

4. In a potato-digger, a standard pivoted to the tongue in advance of the moldboard, and

with a furrowbpener attached to its lower end and with its upper end extended into a handle, a stop upon the tongue-frame to limit the backward movement of the standard, and a weed-roller pivoted into a recess in the standard above the furrow-opener, substantially as set forth.

` In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GASPAR OEI-IRLEIN. In presence of* LEWIS D. MANN, C. N. WooDwARD. 

